get up in the morning and greet the day with enthusiasm, awe, appreciation, creativity, and
reverence. If you are a creator, life is not a static state to be endured, nor a force to be overcome
and tamed. Life is a flow of fluid, vibrating energy, a limitless potential to be embraced, nurtured and
shaped. You experience a rich interrelatedness with all of life. You are nourished by a deep well-
spring of joy that is not determined by the circumstances of each moment. Like the eye of a
hurricane, you are a quiet center in the midst of the events swirling around you. You’re unable to
respond powerfully and innovatively. You have the freedom and ability to create moment - to
moment meaning and purpose of your life. You are committed to the results of your actions, but
have no attachment to them. You experience yourself as an author of your life. You are not waiting
for life to turn out. Each instant is an opportunity for creativity. Each day is an opportunity to express
your intended destiny.
reverence. If you are a creator, life is not a static state to be endured, nor a force to be overcome
and tamed. Life is a flow of fluid, vibrating energy, a limitless potential to be embraced, nurtured and
shaped. You experience a rich interrelatedness with all of life. You are nourished by a deep well-
spring of joy that is not determined by the circumstances of each moment. Like the eye of a
hurricane, you are a quiet center in the midst of the events swirling around you. You’re unable to
respond powerfully and innovatively. You have the freedom and ability to create moment - to
moment meaning and purpose of your life. You are committed to the results of your actions, but
have no attachment to them. You experience yourself as an author of your life. You are not waiting
for life to turn out. Each instant is an opportunity for creativity. Each day is an opportunity to express
your intended destiny.
- You are a creator.
| ARE YOU AN ENDURER, A STRIVER, OR A CREATOR? |
| AN ENDURER: |
gets up in the morning because he/she didn’t die overnight. They are victims of life, merely enduring
it, putting up with it, struggling though it, experiencing life like a journey you don’t recall requesting on
a road littered with rusted memories and the faded tracks of unfulfilled dreams. You feel helpless,
victimized by life’s circumstances. You sometimes suspect there’s an instruction manual on how to
navigate the path of life, but you’ve never been given it. Each new day repeats the last – just another
present time to endure, with hope for an occasional respite that will dull the pain and boredom of the
life sentence you’ve apparently inherited. Your view of life’s possibilities is one of apathy,
hopelessness, resignation, and despair. You do not know you real self.
it, putting up with it, struggling though it, experiencing life like a journey you don’t recall requesting on
a road littered with rusted memories and the faded tracks of unfulfilled dreams. You feel helpless,
victimized by life’s circumstances. You sometimes suspect there’s an instruction manual on how to
navigate the path of life, but you’ve never been given it. Each new day repeats the last – just another
present time to endure, with hope for an occasional respite that will dull the pain and boredom of the
life sentence you’ve apparently inherited. Your view of life’s possibilities is one of apathy,
hopelessness, resignation, and despair. You do not know you real self.
- You are an endurer.
| A STRIVER: |
gets up in the morning because he/she has to, is driven to. They are strivers. They have to go to the
bathroom, pay the bills, get the promotion, get the kids to school, show they are best, become rich,
gain approval, maintain control, avoid failing, win - they have to make it. Awakening each morning in
the state, you may experience only rare and fleeting moments of satisfaction and peace. No matter
how materially successful you are, no matter what you do, deep down you know that if you simply
have a little more knowledge, work a bit better, or act a little bit differently, eventually you will find the
key to living a whole and, satisfying, a balanced life. Meanwhile, the practice continues in preparation
for the ideal life when it finally arrives. Until that magic ‘someday’ arrives, you know that your job is
not your real job, it’s a practice job, just a precursor to the ideal job with the ideal boss, the ideal
employees, the perfect office, the ideal salary - which usually keeps changing as your real salary
increases – plus, of course, the right stock options, the ideal balance of freedom, power, and
authority. In your attempts to reach your ideals, you’ll experience yourself more as a human doing
than human being. You’re prone to skepticism and its final slide into cynicism. You keep trying to find
your true self and finally become undisturbed.
bathroom, pay the bills, get the promotion, get the kids to school, show they are best, become rich,
gain approval, maintain control, avoid failing, win - they have to make it. Awakening each morning in
the state, you may experience only rare and fleeting moments of satisfaction and peace. No matter
how materially successful you are, no matter what you do, deep down you know that if you simply
have a little more knowledge, work a bit better, or act a little bit differently, eventually you will find the
key to living a whole and, satisfying, a balanced life. Meanwhile, the practice continues in preparation
for the ideal life when it finally arrives. Until that magic ‘someday’ arrives, you know that your job is
not your real job, it’s a practice job, just a precursor to the ideal job with the ideal boss, the ideal
employees, the perfect office, the ideal salary - which usually keeps changing as your real salary
increases – plus, of course, the right stock options, the ideal balance of freedom, power, and
authority. In your attempts to reach your ideals, you’ll experience yourself more as a human doing
than human being. You’re prone to skepticism and its final slide into cynicism. You keep trying to find
your true self and finally become undisturbed.
- You are a striver.
| Adapted from The Genesis Principal – A Journey Into the Source of Creativity and Leadership by Hal Isen and Peter Kline. River Press, 1999. |
| A CREATOR: |
